Sewing-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. W. TRACY. SEWING MAGHINE.

Pa tented May 5, 1896.

INVENTUR WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY ANDREW BANANA! PHOTO UYNQWASHINGTDNJC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

L. W. TRACY. SEWING MACHINE ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 559,637, dated May 5,1896.

Application filed June 13, 1895. fierial NO- 552,632.. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIS XV. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The improvements in sewing machines forming the subject of thisinvention relate particularly to a feed and feed mechanism andpressenfoot mechanism and means for operating the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a feeding device forsewing-machines that embodies all of the essential operating features ofa perfect feeding devicethat is, one acting rectilinearly on the goodsto feed them under the needle, moving away from and backwardly clear ofthe goods, and then coming again in contact with the goods-and is simplein construction, inexpensive to make, and adapted for use in the cheaperkinds of machines and hand-driven machines. This I accomplish byconstructing the feeding device to act as an over-table feed and to actindependently of the presser-foot, both of these devices and theiroperating mechanisms being attached to the head of the machine, or thatpart which lies over the table and carries the needle-bar, and both ofthem are actuatedby the needle-bar, the improvements in the presser-footmechanism being such that it is lifted and held clear of the goods whilethe feeding device is moving the goods, and is allowed to press on andhold the goods during the backward movement of the feeding device andwhile the needle is passing through the goods.

The invention also embraces simple means for raising the feeding deviceand the presserfoot away from the table for the admission and removal ofthe goods to and from the machine.

All of these and other improvements will be hereinafter described byreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a hand-power sewingmrachine embodying my improvements. Fig.2 is a front elevation of the same, partly in section, on the line 2 2,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the head, taken on the line 3 3, Fig.2, showing the presser-foot mechanism with the presser-foot down. Fig. 4is a similar view showing the presscr-foot raised from the table. Fig. 5is a view showing the other side of the head and the feeding mechanismwith the feeding device raised. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing thefeeding device down. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the head, showingthe presser-foot; and Fig. 8 is an underneath view of the lower threadcarrying and looping mechanism.

lVhile the class and style of machine shown in the drawings is one welladapted to have my improvements applied thereto, it will be understoodthat the said improvements may be easily applied to, and properlyperform their functions on, any class or style of sewing machine havinga reciprocating needle-bar.

In the machine shown a represents the bed or table provided with a clampa, by which the machine may be attached to a bench or other suitableplace. In the dependent bracket a is fitted the shaft 1), provided withthe crankhandle b and having the eccentric b which actuates theeccentric-rod I). On the side of the eccentric b is a grooved cam, inwhich works a roller attached to the sliding bar 0. This bar a is joinedat one end by a pivotal connection to the short arm of the lever c,which is fitted to rock on the stud 0 projecting from the under side ofthe table a. A link connects the other end of the lever c to the rockingarm d,which carries the curved needle 01, arranged to play by the sideof the needle when it passes through the hole a in the table, and soform the stitches with the thread carried by the needle and the threadcarried by itself. This latter thread is supplied from the spool (1 Thehead 6 is carried by or forms part of the arm or frame e, and in agroove e formed on its rear side, (see Fig. 7,) is fitted to slide theneedle-bar f, to which the needle f is clamped in an ordinary manner. isprovided with a slot in which works a pin on the end of the rocking arm9 and is caused to be reciprocated thereby, said arm 9 being pivoted atg to the table a and pivoted to the upper end of the eccentric-rod D Thethread for the needle f is supplied from the spool f As shown in thedrawings, the presser-foot 7b and feeding .device i are side by side andboth above the tablea, the end of the prcsser- This barf foot being inthe path of the needle f and perforated or slotted for the needle topass through it. The presser-foot is carried by the bar h, fitted toslide, by its enlarged lower end, in a vertical bore in the head 6 and,by its upwardly-extending rod, in the bridgepiece 6 On this rod isplaced the compression-spring 7L acting between the enlarged part of hand the bridge-piece c to press the foot down. Around the rod of the bar71 and resting on the bridge-piece e is a springj, somewhat weaker thanthe spring 71 and on the top of this springj rests the horizontallybentend of the bar j, which is held on the side of the head 9 by screws insuch manner as to have vertical play thereon. To the side of the upperend of the rod of the bar h is pivoted the dog or lever 7c, whose siderests on the top of the bent end of the barj, as

shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6'.

The means for raising the presser-foot consist of a small lever Z,pivoted at Z on a pin projecting from the bar h through a slot in thehead 6, a stud or lug m projecting from the head, and shown adj ustablyattached thereto, on which rests the short arm or tappet Z of the lever,and a stud or lug m projecting from the side of the ncedle-bar f in suchmanner as to act on the bent upper end of the lever 1 when theneedle-bar is moving into its upper position, thereby lifting thepresser-foot h and holding it up when the needle is raised, as shown atFig. 4, by reason of the tappet Z bearing on the lug m. lVhen the needledescends, the lug m moves away from the lever Z and allows the presserfoot to be depressed by its springh as shown at Fig. 5.

The feeding device '5, formed as shown, having a serrated or roughenedunder surface to act on the goods, is supported at two points,

' one at its central part by a pivotal connection to the lower end ofthe lever n, and the other at its end, which is offset from the serratedpart, by a horizontally-arranged sliding connection to the lower end ofthe bar 7". The lever a is fitted to rock at a on astud or other bearingprojecting from the head 6, and its upper end is provided with anadjustable pin or slide 0, arranged to play in a slot formed in theplate 19 and be actuated thereby. This plate 13 is fitted to rock on thebearing or stud p, projecting from the head 6 about in line over thestud or bearing 11, and on its edge adjacent to the needle-bar f isformed an upper projection 19 and a lower inclined face against whichprojection and face the stud or lug q, extending from the side of theneoble-bar f, works when the needle-bar is reciprocated.

During the lower part of the movement of the needle-bar f, or when theneedle f is in the goods, the lug q is acting against the face 19 of theplate 1), and through the medium of the lever it moves the feed ibackwardly for a fresh grip on the goods, the feed 1' being at this timeraised clear of the goods by the dedescribed, as shown at Fig. 6.

pression of the bar 3', which is carried down by the dog It bearing onthe top of the bar 7,

as at this time the presser-foot is depressed by its spring 71 as shownat Fig. 5.

When the needle-bar f is moving into its upper position with the needleout of the goods, the lug q acts on the projection 19 of the plate 19and so moves the feed 2' forward, it now being pressed down on the goodsas the bar j is raised by its spring j, the presserfoot h being at thistime lifted up, as before The length of the feed is regulated by theadjustment of the pin or slide 0. Now when a piece of goods is to beplaced in position for action of the machine or to be removed therefromthe handle of thedog 7a is raised, which first depresses the bar j,thereby lifting the feed 2', and brings the upper end of the bar j incontact with head 6 as the spring j is weaker than the spring 7L2 andthen raises the presserfoot 7L, or the presser-foot will be held up ifthe needle-bar is in its highest position, thus leaving a clear spacebetween the table a and the feeding device and presser-foot. It will beobserved that the construction of these improved feeding andpresser-foot mechanisms is such that these devices will properly Iperform their functions whichever way the driving-shaft is turned, astheir action depends solely on the reciprocation of the neodle-bar.

lVhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a sewing-machine, the combinationof a reciprocating needle-bar, the head of the machine in which theneedle-bar is fitted to work, means for actuating the needle-bar, alever pivoted to the head, a feeding device pivoted at its central partto the lever and having teeth or serrations on its under side at one endand a horizontal slot at the other end; a pin or stud on which the slotof the feeding device works and means for actuating the lever directlyfrom the needle-bar.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination of a reciprocating needle-bar,the head of the machine in which the needle-bar is fitted to work, meansfor actuating the needle-bar, a lever pivoted to the head, a feedingdevice pivoted at its central part to the lever and having teeth orserrations on its under side at one end and a horizontal slot at theother end a bar fitted to slide vertically on the end, a pin or stud onwhich the slot works,

a lever pivoted to the head, and to which the feeding device isattached, and means for actuating the lever from the needle -bar,consisting of a plate pivoted to the head having projecting and inclinededges, a stud on the needle-ban arranged to work against said edges, andan adjustable pin or slide connecting the lever and the plate.

at. In a sewing-rnachine, the combination of avertically spring-actuatedpresser-foot, a lever pivoted thereto, a fixed lug on which one end ofthe lever bears, a reciprocatingneedlebar, a-stud carried therebyarranged to act on the other end of the lever to raise the resser-foot,and means for actuating the needle-bar; the head of the machine in whichthe presser-foot and needle-bar work and a plate ad j u stably attachedto the head and carrying the lug, whereby the height that thepresserfoot is raised by the needle-bar may be varied.

5. In a sewing-machine, the combination of a reciprocating needle-bar,the head of the machine in which it works, means for actuatin g it, afeeding device serrated on its lower side and carried by a lever pivotedto the head, and means for actuating the lever from the needle-bar; aspring-actuated presserfoot, a lever pivoted thereto, a lug attached tothe head on which one end of the lever bears, and a stud carried by theneedle-bar arranged to act on the other end of this lever to raise thepresser-foot.

(i. In a sewing-machine, the combination of the head, a presser-foothaving an upwardlycxtending rod passing through the head, a springacting to press the presser-foot down, a bar fitted to slide verticallyon the head with its upper end embracing the rod of the presser-foot, aspring acting to hold this bar up, a dog pivoted to the rod of thepresser-foot spring acting to press the presser-foot down, a

a bar fitted to slide vertically on the head with its upper endembracing the rod of the presserfoot, a spring acting to hold this barup, a dog pivoted to the rod of the presser-foot and arranged to act onthe upper end of the sliding bar to depress it and also to raise thepresserfoot, a feeding device held at its central part on a swingingpivot, serrated at one end on its under side and connected by a slot andpin at its other end to the lower end of the vertically-sliding bar, areciprocating needle, means for actuating it, connections between theneedle-bar and the presser-foot for raising the presser-foot andallowing the serrated face of the feeding device to fall, and means formoving the swinging pivot of the feeding device from the needle-bar.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of June,

LEWIS IV. TRACY. lVitnesses: CARROLL A. REIDY, ARTHUR O. BLATZ.

